Trolley.



PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

J. L. BROWNLEB.

TROLLEY. APPLIOATION I'ILEDVJUNE 10. 1904. RENEWED JAN. 31, 1905.

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No. 786,188. PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

' J. L. BROWNLEE.

TROLLEY. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. 1904. RENEWED JAN 31, 1905.

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PATENTED MAR. 28, 1905.

' J. L. BROWNLEE.

TROLLBY. APPLIOATIONVPILED JUNE 10. 1904. RENEWED JVAN. a1, 1905.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 28, 1905,

JAMES L. BROWNLEE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROLLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,188, dated March 28, 1905. Application filed June 10, 1904. Renewed January 31, 1905. Serial No. 243,466.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. BROWNIiEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolleys, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of my improvement in separable trolleys. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssectional view showing a modified construction as to the upper bearing-knobs and the separating trolley-cord guides. ,Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, corre sponding to the upper portion of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an edge view of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view in elevation of the upper end of the trolley-pole, showing the spiral spring for supporting the trolley-base. Fig. 6 is a central vertical sectional view of Fig. 1 on a plane parallel with said view. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the hinge-mounting between the separable sides.

My invention relates to the class of trolleys for overhead conducting-wires as employed in street-railway service, and has for its objects to rovide a device of this character which wil retain its contact with the wire, will automatically open and close around obstructions, such as cross-wires, &c., and will facilitate the application of the trolley to the wire, while providing means for thorough lubrication of the working parts, together with an improved resilient mounting between the trolley-pole and base, with other features of improvement, more fully hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings,.2 2 represent separable knob-supporting bearing-chambers hinged together at their lower portion upon a common hinge pintle 3, mounted in an upwardly-projecting stud 4, which is held in any suitable manner upon the upper ter minal of the trolley-pole. Within the sides 2 are rotatably mounted spindles 5 5, having hub portions 6 bearing against each other to facilitate their rotation and alinement with relation to each other. These spindles are mounted in suitable bearings in the lower and upper portions of the separable chambers 2, said bearings being provided with oilreceiving reservoirs 7 7, adapted to contain a supply of lubricant and to deliver it through oil-holes 8 to the spindle-bearings. The upper bearings constitute the parts in which are formed the upper reservoirs 7 and are preferably made removable and are inserted in the chambers 2 in any suitable manner. The spindles 5 are provided at their upper ends with contact-knobs 9, having peripheral grooves 10, adapted to embrace the trolleywire, as will be readily understood, these knobs being secured or affixed to spindles 5 in any suitable or preferred manner, as by setscrews 11. As will be observed, the upper portions of the knobs taper in the form of a truncated cone, thereby facilitating a ready application of the trolley to the wire. The chambers 2 are provided with laterally-extending eyes 12 12, to which are secured the terminals of an opening cord 13, as shown in Fig. 1, connected with the usual trolleycord 14.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 grooved sheave-wheels 15 are rotatably mounted on pins 16 in laterally extending arms 17, connected with the base of the trolley, while in Fig. 1 the cords 13 are merely passed downwardly through uiding-eyelets 1 8. In either construction a ownward pull of the trolleycord 14 opens the chambers 2 upon their hinge-bearings 3, separating the contactknobs 9, thus releasing them from the trolleywire immediately before the trolley is lowered. Tension-springs 19 are secured to suitable retaining-abutments 20 on each side of the chambers 2, which springs automatically close the chambers together and cause the knobs to embrace around the wire. Between the upper end of the pole 21 and the trolley-supporting base 22 1 preferably insert a coiled spring 23, the opposite ends of which are clamped to the top of the pole and to its base in any suitable or preferred manner, and when thus mounted the trolley is allowed a considerable amount of lateral movement, always being approximately maintained in its normal vertical position. This is a feature of considerable advantage in reducing and absorbing shocks due to inequalities or from any other causes.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified construction wherein the spindles 5 are made hollow, provided with elongated hollow'rotatmg cylindrical bearing portions 6, having lubricant-containing cavities 24, adapted to deliver oil to the lower bearings through oilholes 25, the upper bearings being lubricated 1n the same manner as already described. This construction is also lighter and avoids the necessity of the outer oil-chambers 7, while more securely inclosing the oil in the interior. This view, and likewise Fig. 1, also shows the upper portions of the knob 9 as rounded or dome-shaped at the top, (indicated by numeral 26,) which construction is of advantage in providing smooth rounded surfaces for initial contact with the trolleywlre in applying the trolley.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The trolley 1s easily applied to the wire, retaining its gripping action while in use, and insuring good contact entirely along the wire, while it is automatically released upon a down pull immediately before the trolley-pole is lowered.

. It will be understood that the trolley-pole is to be mounted upon any suitable spring-actuated mounting adapted to exert pressure upwardly against the wire and to permit of lateral deflection in turning curves, &c., in the wellknown manner.

The invention may be changed or varied by the skilled mechanic without departing from it, and all such changes or variations are to be considered as within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. A trolley provided with separable spindle-supporting devices and spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with contacting devices, substantially as set forth.

2. A trolley provided with separable spindle-supporting devices and spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with rotating contacting devices, substantially as set forth.

3. A trolley provided with separable spin dle-supporting devices and spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with rotating contact devices provided with annular grooves adapted to engage the trolley-wires. 4. A trolley provided with separable spindle-supporting devices and spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with rotating-contact devices provided with annular grooves adapted to engage the trolley-wires with upwardly-tapering terminals.

5. A trolley provided with separable spindle-supporting devices and spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with rotating contact devices provided with annular grooves adapted to engage the trolley-w1res with upwardly-tapering longitudinal terminals, substantially as set forth.

6. A trolley provided with separable spindle-supporting chambers provided with oilcavities and spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with rotatable contacting knobs, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a trolley-pole, a resilient base-support, a base and separable hinge spindle-supporting chambers mounted thereon carrying spindles provided with contacting knobs, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of a trolley-pole a resilient base-support, a base and separable hinged spindle-supporting chambers mounted thereon carrying spindles provided with contacting knobs with means for separating the chamber and knobs and spring devices adapted to draw them together, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a supportingbase, of separable hinged chambers, spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with bearing-peripheries and terminal contacting knobs provided with annular walls engaging the grooves, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with a base, of separable hinged chambers mounted thereon, hollow spindles mounted in said chambers provided with oil-cavities, and carrying grooved rotatable contact-knobs, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with a supportingbase, of separable hinged chambers, spindles rotatably mounted therein provided with bearing-peripheries and terminal contacting knobs provided with annular walls engaging the grooves, with means for separating the chambers and spindles, and retracting springs adapted to hold them into operative engagement substantially as set forth.

12. The combination with a base, of separable hinged chambers mounted thereon, hollow spindles mounted in said chambers provided with oil cavities, and carrying grooved rotatable contact-knobs means for separating the chambers and spindles, and means for retracting the contacting knobs, to operative position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES L. BROWNLEE.

Witnesses:

JAS. J. MoAFEE, O. M. CLARKE. 

